Vostok Battalion commander admits militants had Russian Buk missile

In an interview with Reuters, Alexander Khodakovsky, commander of the Vostok Battalion, acknowledged for the first time since the airliner was brought down in eastern Ukraine on Thursday that the rebels did possess the Buk missile system.

He also indicated that the Buk may have originated in Russia and could have been sent back to remove proof of its presence.

He added: “I am an interested party. I am a ‘terrorist’, a ‘separatist’, a volunteer … In any event, I am required to promote the side I represent, even if I might think otherwise, say otherwise or have an alternative view. This causes real discomfort to my soul.”

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